With 2017 coming to a close, I wanted to take a look back at some of the incredible music that has been released this year. It wasn’t easy to pick only five best albums, but here are the ones that stand out from the rest of the pack to me:

Foster The People did not disappoint with their third studio album. They dabbled in a lot of new sounds (check out “Loyal Like Sid & Nancy”) that took me by surprise at first, but quickly grew on me. And of course the album comes complete with brilliant lyrical work from the genius that is Mark Foster.

Knox Hamilton didn’t disappoint with their debut album. The Heights is track after track of pop-rock goodness. Each track has its own unique sound, from the bright pop of “Rightfully So” to the grungy rock vibes of “Call Me Up.”

The Bristol boys’ second album was anything but a sophomore slump. Coasts explore more complex themes and display a sense of musical maturity throughout this album. From the feel-good “Take Me Back Home” to the heartwrenching “Born To Die,” Coasts deliver an album full of single-worthy tracks.

Nothing But Thieves’ sophomore album is nothing short of a masterpiece. The topics that they touch on are so incredibly deep and relatable. It’s hard to find words to describe the feeling of belting out these lyrics along with frontman Conor Mason, but the closest I can come is to say that it’s a cathartic experience. From start to finish, this album is truly a work of art.

Sundara Karma quickly became one of my favorite bands with their debut album. Their music has so much packed into it. The raw emotion of “Happy Family” that never fails to bring me to tears. The beautiful lyrics of “Loveblood.” The deep meaning paired with the funky beat in “Explore.” Youth Is Only Ever Fun In Retrospect has everything you could ever hope for in a debut album and more. This is easily the best debut I’ve ever heard, and certainly the best album of the year.

Back in May, I took my first ever trip overseas to England. After an overnight flight that landed at 5 am in Manchester, waiting 7 hours for a train, meeting up with a friend and grabbing a quick shower, I was hauled off into London to see Nothing But Thieves at Dingwalls. I had heard of them in passing, but never listened to them.

The show was sold out, the tiny venue completely packed. It was insanely hot, “hotter than the sun” according to the lead singer. At one point, my insanely sleep-deprived self started to fall over, my friend grabbing me to make sure I was okay. I insisted I was fine. This band was putting on such a captivating show that it was completely worth suffering the heat and the fatigue to watch it.

One song from their set stuck in my head more than any other. The chorus played on repeat in my head for days after the show. That song was “Trip Switch.” Let me assure you, as out of it as I was, this song had to be amazing to stick with me after the show. Real rock music is a rare find this day and age, and “Trip Switch” is a real as it gets. I am forever thankful to my friend for dragging my jet-lagged self to that show, because I left completely in love with Nothing But Thieves.